SEABROOK — Four candidates are running for one seat on the Board of Selectmen in the March 9 election. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Seabrook Community Center on Route 1 for registered voters.
Those who are not yet registered to vote may do so before the election at the town clerk's office or at the polls on March 9. Proof of age and residency is required when registering to vote.
Maria Y. Brown
Age: 43
Address: Worthley Avenue
E-mail: maabrown@comcast.net
Years living in Seabrook: 43
Education: Winnacunnet High School; degree as a medical secretary, accounting background and software specialist.
Occupation: Works in the medical field as a unit coordinator in hospital administration. Also a notary public.
Elected offices held: Winnacunnet School Board member representing Seabrook for the past five years.
Reasons for running for selectman:
To connect the disconnect between our school and town; to ensure the new water building project is successful; to combat Seabrook's problems with drugs, alcohol, bullying and violence; to improve communication between the board, staff and townspeople; to lower the cost of health and worker's compensation insurance; to tighten the budget and look for new town revenues.
Two greatest challenges Seabrook faces currently, in order of priority:
1) Most in town have been touched with Seabrook's problems with drugs, alcohol, bullying and violence, whether it is a family member, family, friends, co-worker or neighbor.
2) The rift between school and town officials. Children are our future, and we must provide a safe place for them to grow into respectful citizens, keep a watchful eye on the budget, and at the same time provide the best education possible.
How you would work to solve the first of the challenges listed above:
I believe that the two challenges that I picked are deeply related, and we cannot address one without the other. We must unite as one now more than ever for the future of our town, our residents and our children. It will take a total team effort to meet problems the town has, and there is no letter "i" in the word team. I am more than willing to be that one who starts the conversation for all of the above.
Brendan F. Kelly
Age: 69
Address: Ayer Circle
E-mail: BrendanFK@comcast.net
Years living in Seabrook: 11
Education: Archbishop William's High School, Braintree; attended Bentley College in early '70s for two years in a non-degree program, studying accounting and commercial law.
Occupation: Semi-retired, work nights as a dispatcher at National Wrecker in Portsmouth
Elected offices held: Incumbent selectman
Reasons for running for selectman: I believe I've lived up to my promise to bring some professionalism and civility to the operation of our town and feel I still have something more to offer.
Two greatest challenges Seabrook faces currently, in order of priority:
1) It's always about the money, and how we may continue to provide the services the public has come to expect without raising the property taxes. It's unlikely that it will get any easier.
2) I believe it's important that we fund the upgrade of our information technology system to allow for more efficient communication between our departments. That will reduce redundancy and time, which is expensive.
How you would work to solve the first of the challenges listed above:
I'll would continue to work with our town manager and department heads to look for all available areas of possible savings. I believe we've done a good job in this area and hope to continue as a member of the team.
John H. Kelley
Age: 63
Address: Jean Drive
E-mail: johnhkelley@mail.com
Years living in Seabrook: 4
Education: Never enough
Occupation: Commercial real estate broker
Elected offices held: Elected Planning Board member
Reasons for running for selectman: It's time for the general population, which is changing, to be heard and to be included in our town's development.
Two greatest challenges Seabrook faces currently, in order of priority:
1) The uncertain plans and direction of growth for both residential and commercial development.
2) The lack of a broad-based input in town affairs by the general population of the town, partly a result of an "ol' boy network," of which, I am proud to say, I am not part of.
How you would work to solve the first of the challenges listed above:
I have no relatives on any board or even employed by any department of Seabrook. This allows me to respond to, answer to and be responsible to everyone in Seabrook, not just a select few or family members that may have their own or even a hidden agenda. I will not stand at the door of the polling place on March 9, yelling my name or being in the face of the voter with a sign. Rather, I will depend on educated, concerned townspeople, who elected me to the Planning Board, who can see that I would represent them as one of their selectmen.
Asa H. Knowles Jr.
(photo not available)
Age: 81
Address: Bigs Lane
E-mail: none
Years living in Seabrook: 81
Education: Attended Amesbury High School, then received GED (high school diploma equivalency degree) from the military during service with the Army
Occupation: Retired
Elected offices held: In the past, several terms as selectman
Reasons for running for selectman:
I want to try to help the people and taxpayers of Seabrook as much as I can, as I always have done. And want to help the town's elderly, too.
Two greatest challenges Seabrook faces currently, in order of priority:
1) I think the biggest issues are to make sure Seabrook has the best water quality through the new water treatment plant and to make sure our sewer treatment system is back on track and running well.
3) Traffic is a problem, and I'd like to work with the state to help reduce the heavy traffic on routes 1 and 107 by finding an alternative route that runs parallel to Route 1 behind Kohl's to take some of the traffic off routes 1 and 107.
How you would work to solve the first of the challenges listed above:
We have the people working for the town already who know how to run the water and sewer systems well; as selectman I would support their efforts.
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